


the splendid fall

by pvwork



Category: The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani
Genre: Best Friends, Coping, Depression, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Swordplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-04
Updated: 2013-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-25 03:37:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/948166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pvwork/pseuds/pvwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are no more Nevers and Evers after the system that has separated them within the School for Good and Evil collapses. Six students cope in the aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the splendid fall

Hester and Anadil stand side by side, silent and shocked by the sight before them. They had been the last of the students to collect themselves and leave after Sophie's apparent death. They had invested so much time in being her henchmen, in thwarting her; they had felt it was their turn to pay their respects to the end of her. But she hadn't really ended. Just floated up and away with Agatha gripping her in her arms. Dissolving together into the morning air. 

Watching Tedros collapse into himself, the two former Nevers felt like intruders, but they were rooted to the spot. To lose two girls who he had thought he loved disappearing into the very air before him had to have been a terrible blow for Tedros. Glancing at each other, they recognized the mirrored expressions of surprise, resignation, and curiosity in the other girl's eyes.

Reaching out blindly and fumbling a little, Hester twined her fingers with Anadil while they looked on at Tedros' bent form. She felt relief, knowing that she was not going to be alone at a time the School for Good and Evil was about to undergo extreme change. 

"I'm glad I still have you." 

"Yeah. Me too. What would you do without me?" 

*

Silver robes aren't easy to clean and while princesses hardly ever have accidents, they do happen, even to the best of royalty. 

"I can't believe Tedros didn't ask me to the Ball." Beatrix sobbed into Kiko's robes. 

She'd been the only one who went looking for Beatrix when she noticed the other girl was missing from the dining hall during "Recuperative Brunch". 

These tear stains and snot smears were pretty much guaranteed never to come out, Kiko thought in a resigned fashion.

"He's still pining after some dead witches! It's been two weeks." Beatrix wailed and Kiko tried to pet her hair but Beatrix was now shaking her head and sobbing uncontrollably. 

Kiko just shrugged helplessly and even though she was trying to shush Beatrix she was thinking of her only princess friend and feeling a little left behind. It wasn't like Agatha could have helped it or anything, but that amazing display of loyalty and friendship made Kiko feel small and insignificant and shallow, like all her friendships meant little in the face of such sacrifice. 

"You're a really good person. A friend." Beatrix said quietly as Kiko handed her tissues after nearly two hours of serious crying and wailing.

Kiko just smiled a little, pleased to help out a fellow Storygoer. 

*

Hort sits in his room and reads his old notes, pretending he can smell the scent of her perfume, see the imprints her finger tips left behind on the wrinkled parchment. 

His pillow still smells like her shampoo and there is still a small bowl of rotting cucumbers left on his bed stand. It's like she'd be back any second (even though he knows it's not true). 

It's not like he misses her or anything (but he does). 

*

Chaddrick just wants to go about sword fighting practice in peace, but it seems like there is something thwarting his steadfast attempts to pick up the finer points of a specific slashing motion. 

Mordred is sitting at the edge of the room looking on as his fellow princes struggle with heavy practice blades and smiles to himself. He's a lithe boy. Almost too thin and fair for his age. Tedros' younger brother, yet the two couldn't have been more unalike. 

"What are you staring at?" 

"You. Them. The empty spot where my brother is usually hacking away at invisible enemies and practicing his footing. You know, before we came here, his favorite weapon used to be the spear?"

"The spear? That's a foot soldier's weapon!" Chaddrick said. He almost spat to add emphasis but decided that it might not be polite with princesses looking on through the cracks in the walls. He'd never heard anything more ridiculous though. Everything about Tedros was destined to be kingly.

"Father always carried a spear in his hand when he went into battle," Mordred said coolly. "Besides, swords are weapons people use as a last resort." 

"You can't even wield one! What resorts do you even have?" 

"I prefer the finer things in life." Mordred said with a smile, daggers in his hands, silver bright stars flashing between his fingers. 

"Then how are you even passing the class?" Chaddrick said. He was feeling a little put out since he hadn't had a decent sparring partners since before Sophie's War. With Tedros locked in his own room spiraling into a deep and dark depression, there was no one better at swordsmanship than Chaddrick. It wasn't like he could fail his classes too. 50 was not as far a fall to 120 as 1 was after all. Tedros was still ranked in the top 20, even now.

"This class is all about close combat. If someone needs to get close to me, I'd rather it be under my terms." Mordred said with a crazed glint in his eyes. "I can handle the likes of you with one hand tied behind my back." 

"Really?" Chaddrick said as he charged towards the other boy. He always loved a good challenge.


End file.
